


Safe Space

by moon_girl_loves



Series: Kyalin Week 2020 [3]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Kyalin Week 2020, Kyalin host game night, Momboss and Detectiveson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27513598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moon_girl_loves/pseuds/moon_girl_loves
Summary: Being Prince Wu's bodyguard is an adjustment, and not one that is easy for Mako to make. Luckily, he has his momboss and friends to give him a nice relaxing evening away from it all.aka,Mako is introverted and stressed, Wu has lots of energy, Lin cares, Game night is hosted, Friends give hugs, and Mako is content.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Series: Kyalin Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007766
Comments: 11
Kudos: 69
Collections: KyaLin Week 2020





	Safe Space

**Author's Note:**

> Kyalin Week Day 3!!!  
> I love momboss and detectiveson an excessive amount, so I'm happy that this prompt worked with it! I hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> I made it rated teen and up because of some swearing, but I'm not really sure how the rating system works, so please let me know what you think!
> 
> Prompt:Tired/Bodyguard
> 
> Go to the end notes for warnings!

The door swung open with a clang, and Mako couldn’t bring himself to care as he trudged into the office.

Lin looked up, took him in, and crooked her finger, closing the door with an audible bang.

“You look like shit” she said, and he couldn’t bring himself to disagree.

He knew he looked like shit. The last few weeks had been ridiculously stressful, and with the last 5 hours of uninterrupted Wu chattering after his spa day had been canceled, Mako was at his breaking point. 

Wu wasn’t a bad guy, despite what he sometimes said about him, but Mako was an _introvert damn it_ and that much social interaction was not something he could stand.

He had on his uniform at least, and his hair was decent, but dark bags accented his eyelids, and he didn’t try to hide the slump in his shoulders now that he was inside.

“So, I assume the prince is safe and still himself then?” Lin asked.

Mako nodded, and groaned, sliding into a seat as Lin raised her eyebrows.

“He’s fine. Too fine in fact, energy is not something he will _ever_ need to worry about.”

“Not the same for you I assume.” Lin stated, a small smirk on her face.

Mako just groaned in response, and Lin chuckled lightly. 

“I assume you finished all your paperwork today?” Lin asked, and Mako nodded in response.

“Then this is what we’ll do. Wait here.”

Lin stood up and walked to the phone, dialing a number.

She tapped her foot as she waited, and Mako was too tired to care about whatever scheme she had come up with.

Her schemes in the past mostly involved conning him into going home, eating something, or sleeping, so it couldn't be too bad.

“Kya?  
_Lin?_  
Yea, game club is tonight right?  
_Yep!_  
Who’s coming?  
_Uhhh, just Kira, Ezra, and Pema, I think everyone else was busy. I don’t know if we will have enough people to play much._  
Mhm that’s fine, invite the kids over then.  
_You want ikki and meelo over???_  
No! The grown up kids Kya you know what I mean.  
_Mhmmm I do honey, I’ll invite Korra and Asami over, I’m sure they’ll be free. Any reason why?_  
Great. I’ll tell you later, anything you want me to pick up?  
_Hmmm, maybe wine? That’s it though. Are you heading home now? There's still a few hours before and I'm at the island._  
Ok I’ll go grab it then, and that’s fine take your time.  
_Ok! See you later sweetie. Love you!_  
Love you too.”

Mako hadn’t really been listening, but he smiled slightly as Lin murmured back a love you too, and then shot a glare at him to keep quiet.

He smirked, and she sighed.

“Kid, have any preference in wine? We’re grabbing a couple for Kya.”

“Uhhh, not really” Mako replied, and Lin nodded, motioning for him to stand.

They walked out of the precinct together.  
It happened enough times that no one really cared, other than the rookies who teased Mako about nepotism, ignoring his protests that they weren't technically related. 

They walked to the store in a companionable silence, born from many hours of stakeouts. There is only so much you can say in that length of time, and Mako and Lin teamed up often, as she had to work with rookies for ‘morale’ or ‘training’ or something, and she didn’t mind his company. 

Mako let his mind wander, just focusing on Lin's metal shoulder pads and letting himself drift as he followed.

In the store, she headed to a specific aisle, and held up a bottle of something Mako couldn’t identify. 

Wine was not something he indulged in often, it was too expensive and didn’t even taste that great, and he liked to be in control of his senses.

“Is this one good with you?” Lin asked, and Mako simply shrugged and nodded.

Lin nodded back, paid for it, then they started walking again.  
He had to focus on Lin slightly for a while, but after a bit he let himself drift, recognizing the streets on the way to their destination. 

The breeze was nice and cool, and the sun wasn’t too bright, or too warm. 

The leaves were turning colors with fall, pretty reds, oranges, and yellows mixed in with green, and Mako watched as they swirled in the air.

Too soon, they reached their destination.

The lobby was fancy as always, and an elevator employee pressed the buttons for them. Mako would never completely get over how ridiculous it all was. He knew Lin didn’t like it too much either, but security was a priority. 

Lin swiped her card twice, once for her and once for Mako, and they headed up.

Her home was homey, as it always was, but grand all the same.

She walked up to the couch, and chucked a book at him as he slipped his boots off.

“Here, you were reading this last time. Go to the spare bedroom and get some sleep, or relax, or read on the balcony for all I care. I’m going to start dinner prep stuff, and your friends, Kya’s friends, and Kya, will be here in an hour or two.”

Mako nodded, and smiled.

“Thanks Chief” he replied as he headed to the spare room, book in tow.

He sighed, and smiled as he saw his favorite fluffy blankets on the bed. (He wouldn't admit they were his favorite of course, the satomobile design was childish...but Lin had bought them for him the night he first stayed over. The memory comforted him, and in his mind at least, he could admit the cars were something he liked. Satomobiles had always been a fascination for him, and now they reminded him of his adventures with the team in asami’s car). He opened the drawer to find a set of lounge clothes/pajamas he had left there last time, clearly washed and folded.

He changed, slipped into bed, and passed out.

*

_The smell of food was what pervaded his senses first._

Mako blinked groggily awake, startling slightly at the rocky floor before realizing where he was.

He rubbed his face and rolled onto his back, staring into space for a moment before rolling back over and checking the time on the clock next to his bed.

It had been 3 hours, and boy had he needed the sleep. 

Kya was probably here by now, and maybe Korra and Asami as well. 

He propped himself up into a sitting position, and heard voices from the outside.

They were here then.

He debated just staying in the room and pretending he was asleep, he was still a bit tired after all. He wasn’t really that tired though, and he missed his friends. 

Mako swung his legs over the bed and stood up, stretching out with a groan.

The mirror by the door showed that he looked presentable enough, in black sweatpants and a plain red t-shirt.

He made some effort with his hair, rubbed his eyes again, and went out to face the music...or rather the empty hallway.

He made his way to the kitchen first, where Lin was stirring a large pot of some sort of curry. 

Her hair was pulled back in a bun instead of her usual pinned up work style, and she had on a similar style of clothes to Mako, though a green shirt instead of red. 

“The kids are in the living room with Kya, Pema, and 2 of Kya and my friends, I think they’re starting a new game so you should get in there quick”.

Mako saluted in response, making Lin crack a smile, and headed out.

Korra and Asami were indeed in the living room, sitting on a spacious couch across from Kya, Pema, and two older women, one with vibrant light blue hair.

Kya spotted him first, and called, “oh Mako! Come sit, we’re starting a new round.”

Korra looked up, eyes wide, and shouted as she bounded over to him and squeezed him tight, “ _Mako! Idiot it’s been forever, why are you so busy?_ ”  
Asami had stood as well, and gently pried Korra's arms off of him. “ _Korra you’re squishing him!_ ” then pulled him into a gentle hug of her own.

Mako scratched the back of his head, “uh, nice to see you guys, sorry it’s been so long just...busy with the new assignment...”

“Well you’ll have to tell us all about it later, we’re starting a new hand now come on!”

Mako let Korra drag him to the couch and plopped down, taking the cards Kya handed him.

Before they could start, Kya called, “LIN! Get your butt over here! The currys done and you haven’t played any of the rounds yet, Mako’s here too now so you have no excuse!”

Lin's sigh was audible a room over, but she did make her way to the game, plopping down next to Kya, and taking the cards given to her, then promptly snuggling into her side.

“Awww you need a nap too sweetie?” Kya cooed, getting a glare from Lin and a few chuckles from the rest in response. 

Lin sat up...or well, tried to, cursing as the band around her neck got caught in Kya’s sleeve.

Everyone did laugh this time, and Lin sulked, a smile slipping past once in a while, as Kya fiddled with the clasp.

Mako wondered when she had put it on, she didn’t wear it at work or while cooking in fear of damaging it, and it was made of platinum(Kya wanted to make sure no one could ever use her necklace to hurt Lin), so she couldn’t have summoned it...it had probably just been in her pocket.

Speaking of platinum though, Mako wanted to ask how Kya managed to carve such detail into such a hard metal...water? Or ice? An ice pick? was probably the answer.

Lin was soon untangled, but elected to remain snuggled into Kya’s side.

Kya was definitely cheating by glancing at Lin's cards, but Lin was doing the same, so she couldn't begrudge her too much.

The games went well, there were a lot of cards and some scrabble, and no pressure to talk because everyone else was doing so. Mako let his friends' words wash over him, and smiled, content to listen, and play. 

*

After Asami spelled ‘dimethylpentane’, everyone agreed to go for a dinner break.

Dinner was curry, rice, and salad. With wine, water, or apple juice.

Mako chose the apple juice, something that had rapidly become a favorite drink after trying it at air temple island.

Dinner was uneventful, except for Kya’s friend, Kira, with the blue hair, mistaking him for Lin's secret son or something.

Mako was 95% sure she was teasing, but it still made him blush.

Sure, he did think of Lin as a mother figure, he could admit it, but he wasn’t sure if Lin felt the same.

She liked him well enough, picking him as her partner for stakeouts and missions often and going out after work for food or fun like today, and she cared enough to force him to come over for dinner at least three times a week for a few months when she found out he wasn’t eating regularly enough(he hadn’t had a great time mentally after Bolin and Korra left, and hoarding food instead of eating it was instinct when he was stressed)(She hadn’t stopped doing this, and it was mandated to at least once a week, and more if he was overworking himself or otherwise having a rough time).

He hoped she thought of him the same, but he wasn’t really betting on it.

Regardless, he had zoned out for a while and the conversation had moved on, to Kya and Lin’s wedding, as was not unexpected.

They had been engaged for years, but hadn’t had an official wedding...mainly because Raiko was trash.

He couldn’t remove the law, because it was in the constitution, but Lin's job could be in danger, and Kya was in favor of Lin just retiring and doing it.

Lin always snapped back that she needed to work, no one was ready to take over, and she liked her job, as she was doing now.

Mako was secretly grateful for it.(That Lin still wanted to work, not Raiko, obviously).

Lin was getting older, and had been chief far longer than anyone else, even her mother. The force couldn’t imagine itself without her, and more specifically, Mako couldn’t. He didn’t want to serve under anyone else, and he would...really miss her, if she retired.

Anyways, the conversation had turned again, to the necklaces themselves and their meaning, by Korra, who hadn’t had much chance to see them, or well, Lin’s at least, as she spent most of her time recovering in the South Pole.

She had come up a couple months earlier, planning to make a life on her own but seeking out Kya after having some new difficulties with her bending. Lin had been there as well, in the newly engaged honeymoon phase, and detected some metal left in her, which she swiftly took out. (Korra didn’t have months to survive alone and fail at bending and she was scared of what happened, so her resistance was not as strong as it had been with Toph).

Korra had become much happier after that, and it was good.

She had started a relationship with Asami as well, and they had joined some sort of queer club network.

The badgering for Lin and Kya to get married had begun after seeing many happily married sapphic couples, and it hadn’t stopped since.

Mako figured Lin secretly wishes they could.

But they were happy as they were now, and a paper wouldn't change what they knew was real, as the two continually insisted. 

The conversation moved on, they had dessert(A pretty chocolate cake with strawberry icing and a caramel buttercream filling), and the others left for home.

Mako stayed, bid Lin and Kya goodnight, and went to bed. His apartment was too far to be worth walking by then anyways.

_It had been a good night._

**Author's Note:**

> Some warnings:
> 
> Occasional swearing: (closing the door with an audible bang...he could stand).  
> Mention of alcoholic beverages: (Great, I'll tell you later...Ok I'll go grab it then)(He smirked, and she sighed...Uh not really)(In the store...Lin nodded back).  
> Implied/referenced homophobia(Raiko being trash): (They had been engaged for years...Lin was getting older).
> 
> *
> 
> Some notes about the story timeframe:
> 
> This is set in the year before Kuvira’s attack.
> 
> Korra went to Republic City instead of going out alone, because she didn't have the confrontation until a village a day out from Republic City. She still competed in the bending tournaments, but the city’s were closer, and she was hurt and sent to the hospital after a few days because of her bending not working. Lin was called in because it was the underground bending rings, and Korra explained what happened. Kya was her healer(in town for Lin and volunteering there in her spare time) and had told Lin a lot about her progress over the years. Lin had wondered recently if the metal poison was still causing problems with remnants, and Kya said Korra would have known as a metal bender, but seeing her current earthbending skill…
> 
> Lin had asked Korra to identify types of rocks blindfolded, or where they were at least when that was not possible, and Korra could barely do it. Lin decided to see if she could feel any more metal, and she could, and quickly got rid of it, Korra's resistance being less due to less time on her own to realize her bending skill was not what it should be and not improving and become afraid to be the unhindered avatar. 
> 
> Kya and Lin had been dating beforehand, but with the aftermath of Amon Lin was messed up and they were fighting more and more. They had taken a break, and Lin had not taken it well contributing to why she was so ooc in season 2, but after the events of season 2 they got back together and Lin went to therapy and they were ok again. Kya split her time between the south pole and Republic City, and they found a system that worked for them.
> 
> Bolin was in zaofu helping out with stuff and seeing Opal and joined kuvira at some point and Mako did not take it well.
> 
> Lin and Mako have a fairly close relationship, because Lin needed to interact more with rookies from some things Raiko wanted to instate, and she already knew Mako, and that he was competent.
> 
> It developed from there into Lin basically seeing Mako as her kind of kid and him turning the guest bedroom into his own room. (I’m not elaborating because I might write something else about this later).
> 
> Wu was being watched in a secure place beforehand, but they were approaching the coronation and he wanted to finish his last semester of classes in the city before it, so he needed a bodyguard.
> 
> He chose Mako, who is adjusting to the new normal still, but appreciates sitting in on college classes and will eventually develop into discussing politics and such with Wu and realizing he actually has pretty good ruler ideas when he forgets the persona he puts on to protect himself and actually seriously starts discussing them.


End file.
